Allegiance France Rank Second lieutenant Died June 5, 1918 | Name Charles Quette | |
Awards Medaille militaire, Croix de guerre, Mentioned in Dispatches thrice Unit 89e regiment d'infanterie, Escadrille 62 | ||
Service/branch Infantry; aviation | ||
Sous lieutenant Charles Alfred Quette was a French World War I flying ace credited with ten confirmed and five unconfirmed aerial victories.
World War I
Quette originally was a soldat de 2e classe in the infantry. He transferred to aviation and on 5 July 1915 joined Escadrille 38 as a mechanic. On 24 August, he transferred again, to Escadrille 64 as a gunner/observer on Caudrons. His service there earned him two citations in orders. He then trained as a pilot. On 11 April 1917, he was promoted to Corporal and assigned to Escadrille 62 as a Spad pilot.
Quette scored his first aerial victory on 22 July 1917. He was then awarded the Médaille militaire; the accompanying citation noted he had already been wounded twice. He was also promoted to Sergeant on 25 August 1917. In September, Quette scored four more times to become an ace. A promotion to Adjutant followed.
Between 15 March and 4 June 1918, Quette scored five more times. On 5 June, having been promoted to Temporary Sous Lieutenant five days prior, Quette disappeared and was posted missing in action. On 9 July 1918, he was mentioned in dispatches for his ten victories.